Softproof – Spectro Tool & Notes

The new interface includes an Add to Note feature, allowing on-screen measurements to be stored as Notes, saved with the job. Veripress and Blackmagic Soft Proofing Add-on users can save comparative Print measurements with the Notes.

Below is brief outline of Spectro tool’s features and functions within the Softproof application.

Activation

While viewing a job in the Softproof, the Spectro tool can be activated by

clicking the Spectro button in the Tools bar on the left side of the window

pressing the ‘X’ key

selecting the View menu > Spectro option.

Interface

When activated, the Spectro tool interface opens in one of two configurations.

Spectro tool for Blackmagic and Megarip

Blackmagic and Megarip use the basic interface allowing on-screen measurement of job colours.

Spectro tool for Veripress and Blackmagic w/Soft Proofing Add-on

Veripress and Blackmagic Soft Proofing Add-on use the full interface allowing both on-screen and comparative measurements of press/printed material.

The Spectro tool interface is comprised of the following functions and features:

Notes button and Colourspace menu

Add to Note button (top left) – pressing the button adds a Note with the currently displayed measurement(s) to the Notes panel.

Colourspace drop-down menu (top) – select the format (Lab, Lch, XYZ or Density) in which measurements are displayed. Lab is the default.

Measurement Swatch (centre) – displays the colours measured in the Softproof and the Print (if available). If both measurements are present a comparative ∆e is shown below the swatches.

The Spectro interface in Veripress and Blackmagic Soft Proofing Add-on has the following additional features:

Instrument menu and (inactive) Power button

Instrument drop-down menu (bottom) – select the spectrophotometer to be used for print measurements.

Measurement Standard menu and (active) Power button

Measurement Standard drop-down menu (bottom) – select which standard (DeltaE, CIE94, CIE2000, CMC(1:1) or CMC(2:1)) to be used for print measurements and delta comparison. This menu replaces the Instrument menu when the chosen spectrophotometer has been activated.

Power button (bottom right) – press this to activated the connected spectrophotometer, readying it for print measurement. The button displays Green for active and Red for inactive.

Taking Measurements

When the Spectro tool is enabled in Softproof, move the cursor to the spot on the soft proof image you wish to measure, then left-click. The colour and values will appear in the floating Spectro tool panel.

Measurement taken of PANTONE 032 C in Blackmagic

Veripress and Blackmagic w/Soft Proofing Add-on users can place an activated spectrophotometer on a print or press sheet to take a comparative measurement. The Print colour and values will display beside the Softproof values along with a comparative delta value.

Measurement taken of PANTONE 032 C on-screen compared to the same area measured on the press/printed sheet

Lab Spot Colour Values

When soft proofing, the colours displayed on screen are determined by gamut of the match ICC profile in Press currently assigned to the Softproof window. Values measured using the Spectro tool reflect those used to produce the colours by the match ICC profile. e.g. a process Cyan area will both appear and measure differently while using a Fogra39 Press versus a Newspaper Press.

Lab spot colours values are the exception. If an Lab spot colour within the job is in the System Special Colour Set, the measured values reported by the Spectro tool will be the original Lab values defined in the Special Colour Set. This way, when job critical spots measured on-screen are compared with those of a printed press sheet, the delta (∆) value of the printed colour is the delta from the intended spot colour.

Storing measured colours as Notes

Pressing the Add to Note button adds the Softproof and Print values currently displayed in the Spectro tool to a Note.

Notes are attached to the job, stored with the Original and/or Rendered preview file.

When a Note is created, a reference tag is placed at the position where the measurement was taken.

Clicking on the tag will display the measurement information.

Measurement Information for Note ‘A’

Notes are listed in the Notes Panel of the Softproof window.

Note thumbnails will display as either a single colour swatch for a Softproof measurement, or as dual colour swatch with the comparative ∆e value for a Softproof/Print measurement.

Hovering over a Note in the Notes Panel will display the measurement info as a tooltip.

Selecting a Note in the Notes Panel will move the soft proof image to the reference tag position and display the measurement information.

Notes Panel with Note ‘C’ selected

Using the Spectro tool with the Touch Console

Veripress and Blackmagic Soft Proofing Add-on users have access to the Touch Console > Spectro control screen, allowing the Spectro tool to be operated via the Touch Console application on a touch screen.